Quitting smoking: How hypnotherapy tackles the habit at its core

Smoking started as a habit you didn’t enjoy. The taste – yuk. The smell – gross. The cost, well it was probably a lot cheaper when you started than it is now. Back then it was easy to smoke, you could light up wherever took your fancy. Some of you will even remember smoking on an aeroplane. Nowadays it’s a chore.

As winter begins to approach the thought of standing outside in the cold to smoke is not the same as the break you get throughout the day to bask in the sun during summer.

For most people, smoking starts as something you force yourself to like and quickly becomes a habit or addiction with an automatic routine that you no longer think about. You wake up in the morning and the first thing you reach for is your phone. After this, you get up and take yourself to your normal smoking spot. If you’re like some of my clients, you wait with bated breath until the children leave the house because they don’t know you smoke. Except they probably do! After this, you feel ready to start the day.

There is a neatly woven rhythm that combines work, smoking and play. The play and smoking often combine. You smoke as you walk the dog, speak on the phone, take a journey in the car, before you get on the train and when you get off, etc. Somewhere in this mix of life, there is enjoyment, the smoking habit brings you something. This is the key to quitting. When you know the thing that keeps you smoking – above the habitual aspect – you can work out how to achieve that thing in a healthier way.

Why willpower isn’t enough

Most stop-smoking methods, such as patches, gum or medication, place a strong focus on the addiction to nicotine however this overlooks the psychological roots of the habit. Much like people who overeat rarely do so because they feel hungry many smokers smoke for reasons other than a need for nicotine.

There are emotional triggers for many smokers, whether that’s stress, boredom, overwhelm or social exhaustion. Nicotine replacement strategies do not fulfil these needs and may work in the short term, but many studies suggest that when faced with stress or emotional discomfort many people revert to smoking as a coping mechanism.

Hypnotherapy can help by addressing the psychological side of smoking addiction and finding new strategies to overcome this.

How hypnotherapy works: Rewiring your triggers

Hypnotherapy is an individual therapy that works by combining hypnosis with therapy. During quit smoking sessions your hypnotherapist can help you work with your unconscious behaviour patterns to change the emotional triggers and habits that keep you embedded in the cycle of smoking.

During a session, clients often uncover surprising connections that drive their smoking habit. For example, one client discovered that she needs regular breaks throughout the day. Once she recognised this, the therapy sessions helped her plan her days so she could still get the breaks she needed while releasing herself from the habit. This shift in mindset was the key to her successfully quitting for good.

What happens in a hypnotherapy session?

A hypnotherapy session is a calm, usually relaxing experience designed to help you feel at ease. Typically, your therapist will begin with a discussion about your smoking habit and what triggers it. They may have some other questions which will help you both understand the depth of your habit and the aspects of it that are unique to you. Your hypnotherapist will use the information to craft a session personalised to you.

Hypnosis is a similar state of mind to meditation. You remain fully aware and in control, but you become more open to suggestion and different ways of thinking. Your therapist will work with you to identify and reframe the emotional connections tied to smoking, helping to weaken the habit's hold.

It’s a peaceful process, often described as like daydreaming, where you leave feeling lighter and more in control of your behaviour.